Automatic damper



No. 6|9,346. Patented Fab. I4, |899. E. V. RICE.

AUTOMATIC DAMPER.

(Application led Mar. 19, 1898.)

(No Modal.)

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UNrn STATES,

ATENT OFFICE.

ELMER VESHLAGE RICE, OF AZUSA, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC DAM PER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 619,346, dated February 14, 1899.

Application filed March 19, 1898. Serial No. 674,452. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ELMER VESHLAGE RICE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Azusa, county of Los Angeles, and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Dampers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to an improvement in automatic dampers and the object thereof is to provide a simple inexpensive device which may be applied to any stovepipe without structural changes therein.

The invention consists, primarily, in the employment of aswin ging dam per and a latch therefor operated by an expansible rod, and it will be hereinafter fully described, and specically set forth in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the device, partly sectional, on the line x @o of Fig. 2 and showing the damper in open position; and Fig. 2 is a plan View showing the damper in closed position.

In applying my invention I employ a crossbar A, preferably of cast-iron, adapted to extend diametrically across the stovepipe in which it is to be mounted. This cross-bar is provided at its ends with upwardly-projecting lugs d and downwardly-projecting lugs a', which are adapted to rest in the slots B B' on the upper edge of the lower section B of the stovepipe. The cross-bar is provided at one end with an enlarged portion co2, in which a threaded hole d3 is cut. The cross-bar is also provided with a slot d4, communicating with the hole d3 and extending nearly the full length of the bar. At the end opposite the enlarged portion d2 lugs a5 and d6 project upwardly and downwardly from said cross-bar. A centrally-located lug a7 aifords a support for the damper C. Said cross-bar is held in position after having been placed in the slots on the upperedge of the stovepipe B by means of the upper section of the pipe b, which ships over the end of the cross-bar and over the lower section of the pipe in the usual manner.

The damper C has a slot c cut in one side thereof adapted to embrace the cross-bar when swinging, and two lugs c', fixed thereto, which are connected by means of the pivots c2 to the cross-bar lug a7 The other side of said damper C is heavier than that containing the slot and adapted to fall into closed position automatically when released.

A latch D is pivoted to the lug a by means of the pivot CZ. Said latch is curved toward the center of the stovepipe and is provided with a weighted end d and a downwardlyprojecting lip d2, adapted for engagement with the upper edge of the damper C when in open position.

An expansible rod E, of brass or other metal, of smaller diameter than that of the slot 01,4 is adapted to expand longitudinally in said slot. The inner end e of said rod contacts with the latch D, and the outer end thereof is fixed to au enlarged portion e', which threads into the enlarged head CL2 of the cross-bar A. A suitable slot e2 in the face of said enlargement is adapted to receive a screw-driver for operating the same.

Riveted or otherwise fastened to said damperC is the stem F, which extends outwardly through a suitable hole in the side of the stovepipe and upon the outer end of which the handle G, preferably of wood, is fastened.

In the operation of the device the cross-bar carrying the damper and the latch is placed upon the edge of the lower section of the stovepipe and the upper section shipped over it. The expansible rod is then inserted and screwed into position, so that its free end contacts with the latch at e. The damper being in'open position, as shown in Fig. l, the ire is started, and as soon as the heat becomes sufficient to expand the rod E the latch is forced rearwardly to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. l. The upper heavier portion of the damper C will then cause the same to fall and close automatically. To reopen at any time, it is only necessary to turn the handle G, when the damper will again latch itself in position. The device may be set to operate at any predetermined degree of heat by means of the thread on the expansible rod. Should it be desired to continue the draft for a time longer than usual, the expansible rod will be screwed back out of contact with the latch, thereby allowing a certain amount of expansion before beginning IOO ' be made in the device Without departing` from the spirit of my invention--as, for instance, the form of the damper and latch-supportsustained Within the pipe andthe special mode of connection to the pipe and the location of the damper, latch, and thermostat relatively to each other may differ from that shown Within the scope of the appended claims.

It Will be specially noticed that the damperlplate and its latch and the thermostat Whereby the latch is tripped torelease the damper are sustained Within the draft-pipe on a support fitted therein, the only visible portions bei/ng the ordinary damper-stem and its handle and the accessible extremity of the ther- Inostat-regulator. All main parts of the device are thus protected Within the pipe and there are no objectionable fusible parts which require renewal and the action of the devices is in all respects positive and efficient.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. An automatic damper comprising a transverse support Within the draft-pipe,a radiallyslotted damper-plate pivoted to said support, a latch also pivoted to the support and adapted to hold the damper open, and a thermostat guided in the su pport and actuating the latch to release the damper, the radial damper-slot straddling the support and thermostat as the damper closes, substantially as described.

2. An automatic damper comprising a trans- Verse support in the draft-pipe, a radially-slotted dam per-plate pivoted to said support, a latch also pivoted to the support and adapted to hold the damper open, and a rod-thermostat guided in the support and having an adjustable connection accessible from outside the pipe, and thermostat actuating the latch to release the damper which in closing straddles at its radial slot the support and thermostat, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my inventionl have signed my name, in presence of two Witnesses, this 10th day of March, 1898.

ELMER VESHLAGE RICE.

Witnesses:

DANIEL NEUHART,

CHARLES JAMES WADE. 

